The Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program

Introduction

Clean air is an important part of a healthy environment. Unfortunately, many industrial and transportation activities that sustain our economy can also produce air pollutant emissions as by-products, degrading our air quality. Safeguarding our air from such contamination is an important priority of the U.S. Department of Transportation (U.S. DOT), the Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) and the Federal Transit Administration (FTA).

The FHWA and FTA goal to reduce delays on the transportation system and to protect and enhance the natural environment and communities affected by transportation is greatly advanced by the Congestion Mitigation and Air Quality Improvement Program (CMAQ).

The FHWA and FTA, in partnership with the States, Metropolitan Planning Organizations (MPOs), and local and private transportation entities, are preparing for the future. Our overall vision is to create the world's safest, most efficient and effective intermodal transportation system for the American people--a transportation system that provides access to everyone within and beyond their community; where crashes, delays, and congestion are significantly reduced; where freight moves easily and at the lowest costs; where roads protect ecosystems and travel on our roadways does not degrade the quality of the air; where pedestrians and bicyclists are accommodated; and where essential transportation services are restored immediately after natural disasters and emergencies.

The FHWA and FTA recognize that we cannot achieve our goals and objectives without the active participation and support of our partners throughout government and in the private sector. That is why we are bringing this information on the CMAQ Program to our stakeholders.

This brochure describes the CMAQ Program, a transportation air quality improvement program. It contains background and resource material for transportation planners, project applicants, environmental stewards and the general public. It includes information about application procedures, eligible projects and contacts for more information.